This invention relates generally to horn blowing switch arrangements and more particularly to a horn blowing switch arrangement for a vehicle steering wheel having an inflatable occupant restraint module.
Horn blowing switch arrangements for steering wheels having inflatable occupant restraint modules are known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,205 Dunford et al and 4,325,568 Clark et al, both assigned to the assignee of this invention, disclose such arrangements. In both of these arrangements, the horn blowing switches are mounted on the module and are manually depressible by the driver when the driver desires to blow the vehicle horn.
It is also known to provide a horn blowing switch arrangement between the module and the hub of the steering wheel. In such arrangement, the module and support brackets underlying opposite sides of the module are slidably secured to cantilevered steel springs mounted to the hub of the steering wheel by headed bolts extending through the steel springs and threaded into the module. Compression springs seat between the hub of the steering wheel and the support brackets to locate the bolt heads in engagement with the cantilevered springs. A contact on each support bracket is engageable with a plate in the hub of the steering wheel to complete a circuit across a source of power and the vehicle horn when one side of the module is depressed toward the hub of the steering wheel.
The arrangement of this invention includes a switch module which is mounted between the occupant restraint module and the hub of the steering wheel and which mounts the restraint module to the steering wheel. The switch module to blow the horn is actuated when the restraint module is manually depressed. The arrangement of this invention has several features which provide for ease of assembly as well as ease of access for repair when necessary.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the restraint module is supported at the corners thereof by a number of self contained switches which are part of a switch module mounted to the hub of the steering wheel. The occupant restraint module is of conventional type and includes a base plate which mounts the inflator and the cushion, a container for the cushion, and an outer covering over the container. The switch module mounts the occupant restraint module to the steering wheel in covering relationship thereto after the switch module has been mounted within the hub of the steering wheel. Thus the steering wheel and switch module can be mounted to the steering column during the normal assembly process of the vehicle and the occupant restraint module can then be later mounted to the steering wheel.
The primary feature of this invention is that it provides an improved horn blowing switch arrangement for vehicle steering wheels having inflatable occupant restraint modules. Another feature is that the switch arrangement includes a switch module which supports the restraint module within the hub of the steering wheel at a plurality of mounting points so that the restraint module cannot slide or move laterally of itself when depressed to blow the vehicle horn. A further feature is that the switch module is a self-contained unit which can be mounted to the steering wheel prior to assembly of the steering wheel to the vehicle steering column. Yet another feature is that the restraint module can be easily assembled to and disassembled from the switch module.